It is well known that merely standing in a shower with a stream of water directed at one's body results in a stimulating and relaxing effect in and about the area on which the water impinges. Many inventions for applying one or more streams of water to the body are well known in the prior art. Such devices range from mere handheld devices (e.g. a handheld shower massager) through more complex devices that subject the user's entire body to a multiplicity of streams of water and/or steam and/or entrained air (e.g. a therapeutic shower cabinet or whirlpool bath). Moreover, it is well known that variations in the temperature of the impinging water act to vary the stimulative or relaxing effect. Cold water causes one set of sensations, hot water causes another.
These effects are equally effective when applied directly to the head, particularly as a means of decreasing or eliminating head and neck pain and discomfort. A stream of water naturally acts to decrease tension in the muscles of the head and face, thus lessening stress related headaches. Some people report that a hot or warm water spray applied to the head lessens headaches. By the same token, a stream of cold water applied to a greater area of the scalp lowers the temperature of the scalp, thus causing the vasculature of the scalp to constrict slightly. Some people feel this helps alleviate headaches. Other therapeutic effects may be obtained by means of decreasing intra-cranial blood pressure thus preventing and/or treating some forms of stroke and/or facilitating more rapid recovery from cranial concussion. To achieve these effects water and/or other therapeutic fluids and/or substances may be sprayed or misted onto the scalp in a variety of temperatures, from cold to hot. Therapeutic fluids include, but are not limited to, carbonated water, tonic water, and astringent liquids. Therapeutic substances include, but are not limited to ice, bathing salts, and sea salt.
However, no such device exists in the prior art to apply one or more flowing sources of water and/or other therapeutic fluids and/or substances to the head, and only the head of the user. If one wishes to partake of such therapy using devices presently extant in the prior art, one must either take a shower or bath. Obviously, the necessity of disrobing to enjoy these existing therapies adds to their inconvenience.
Similarly, the use of colored light (chromotherapy or light therapy) as a therapeutic regimen is well known in the prior art both to practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine and photobiology. Chromotherapy is variously believed to induce feelings of well-being or “balance” various “energies” in the body (i.e. physical, emotional, spiritual, or mental) and/or treat specific sleep, skin, and mood disorders. While various devices are known in the prior art that combine shower heads, full sized bathtubs, and full-sized shower cabinets with chromotherapeutic devices, none are known that allow selective chromotherapy in the region of the face and neck. Thus, to the extent phototherapy is effective solely when administered through the eyes and the skin of the head and scalp, an apparatus that administers such therapy either independently or in concert with the fluid therapy described above would be advantageous.
By the same token, the use of aromatic substances as a therapeutic regimen is also well known in the prior art. Aromatherapy is variously believed to alter the user's mood or cognitive state, or physical well-being. While various devices are known in the prior art that combine shower, bathtubs, and shower cabinets with aromatherapeutic, none are known that allow selective aromatherapy in the region of the face and neck. Thus, to the extent aromatherapy is effective an apparatus that administers such therapy either independently or in concert with the therapies described above would be advantageous.
Further, to improve the relaxatory effect of the fluid therapy, chromotherapy, and aromatherapy described above, it would be advantageous to use the device in conjunction with a table also equipped with chromotherapeutic light sources.
Thus, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a device that can be used to administer fluid therapy by applying a multiplicity of streams of water and/or other therapeutic fluids and/or substances onto the head, and only the head, of the user. These streams of water and/or other therapeutic fluids and/or substances may be deposited on the scalp and face in any one of a variety of temperatures ranging from hot to cold, or any combination in between. Therapeutic fluids include, but are not limited to, carbonated water, tonic water, and astringent liquids. Therapeutic substances include, but are not limited to, ice, bathing salts, and sea salt.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a device that can be used to administer chromotherapy to the head of the user. Such chromotherapy is administrable in a variety of colors and intensities—from individual single color therapy to variable color therapy, such colors being derived by varying the intensity of independent red, green, and blue light sources.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a device that can be used to administer aromatherapy.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a table equipped with chromotherapeutic light sources to enhance the chromotherapeutic effect of the device.
It is a fifth object of the present invention to allow the user to undergo stone or crystal therapy simultaneously while enjoying therapeutic fluid and/or chromotherapy and/or aromatherapy.